incomprehensible torture porn - DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME ON THIS FILM
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cynkat — 17 years ago(September 07, 2008 02:27 PM)
Squirmy, I agree with you on this one. I wish I had read your review before I saw it. But then again I couldn't wait to see this movie, this crime is an object of fascination with me (as many others, obviously) and I was horribly disappointed. Hillary Swank gave me the creeps and what was with Scarlett Johanson's mouth? She had this ridiculous Betty Boop thing going with her lips, it was bizarre. I am not sure what the director was going for here, and I don't think anyone in the movie did either.
"Only the suppressed word is dangerous" -
Ludwig Brne -
Mr_Fluffykins — 17 years ago(November 12, 2008 09:41 AM)
http://poetry.rotten.com/black-dahlia/
it actually happened,
its not torture porn, its not made to get you hard and jerk off, -
BartlebyScrivner — 17 years ago(December 01, 2008 05:14 PM)
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I do not care who coined the phrase or what their motivations were. It is an apt term it fits the movie well.So you don't care if something has its genesis in elitism and moral superiority, just so long as its utilization suits your purposes.
also "torture porn" is a sub-category of gore films because it combines sex with sadism.
For not caring about the origins of a phrase, you seem perfectly willing to switch gears here and start lecturing about its application. Which is interesting considering that, by your own definition, this film does not fall into that category, as only one scene in the film can even be remotely identified as the combination of sex and sadism.
calling it "exploitation" does not say much since any B-movie, zombie flick, blaxploitation & spaghetti western is in this category.
In other words, I don't like to call something what it is because that would negate my emotionally-charged yet intellectually bankrupt argument.
calling it "torture porn" is not superior only to people like you who are looking for snobbery when there is none.
In all honesty the first part I find incomprehensible; "not superior only to people like me?" As for the snobbery where there is none, there seems to be snobbery in great quantities; perhaps you'd like to call it something else in an attempt to support your argument? You seem pretty well versed with that tactic.
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BartlebyScrivner — 17 years ago(December 08, 2008 05:27 PM)
I don't believe in dumbing myself down for mass consumption.
And should I note the passion with which the original poster started this thread? He's the one who decided to bash a move using such powerful rhetoric as "torture porn." That's a lot more worked up than I'm getting. -
mrwelles — 17 years ago(February 25, 2009 03:56 PM)
Having passed an English class in college doesn't make it okay for some pompous, conceited individual to go off on Squirmy Monkey (and Squirmy's post) in such an extreme and vile way. I believe that when someone treats a fellow human being the way Squirmy was treated here, it says a lot more about the individual spewing forth the venom than they'd ever be capable of understanding. I believe that by showing exactly what their priorities are (e.g., how they value such characteristics as manners, respect for others, looking for common ground, and doing their part to make the journey we're all sharing together a kinder, happier, more peaceful, and enjoyable one), they needn't concern themselves with working to "dumb (themselves) down for mass consumption." Without trying, they're succeeding remarkably well. I don't know about you, but I feel a little sad for them and their view of the world.
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squirmy_monkey — 17 years ago(February 26, 2009 01:19 PM)
"I don't believe in dumbing myself down for mass consumption."
Don't do that, wouldn't want you to fall into a coma.
"And should I note the passion with which the original poster started this thread? He's the one who decided to bash a move using such powerful rhetoric as "torture porn." That's a lot more worked up than I'm getting."
I do not think of the phrase "torture porn" as being "powerful rhetoric". It is a descriptive term for a certain kind of gore flick. It is only disparaging if the person hearing doesn't like this kind of flick. Some so-called "torture porn" films are very artistic and have won critical acclaim. BTW I don't know why you have so much hostility towards me for expressing my opinion of a movie, in a movie forum. Maybe you got bullied too much as a kid or something.
p.s. I am not a guy. -
corpus_callosum — 15 years ago(March 24, 2011 10:23 PM)
" I don't believe in dumbing myself down for mass consumption. "
apparently you do believe in being a hypocrite. that post totally reeks of having a sense of superiority, which is what you were ridiculously accusing Squirmy of.
here.. fly off the handle some more..
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terry2070-1 — 17 years ago(December 21, 2008 10:13 AM)
It isn't fair to categorize it as torture porn, or accurate as there wasn't much brutality or true violence, but what is fair is the assessment that this was very poorly executed.
I think James Elroy is overrated and his take on this crime is so far from the truth that anyone who has read books on the real case will be severely annoyed that he felt the need to dramatize an already interesting case.
And then we have De Palma, master of the over-the-top. I get that he was trying to re-create the film noir atmosphere, but I have honestly never seen so many decent actors act so badly.
The whole movie, you just want them to focus on the murder but instead you are stuck with these two uninteresting cops.
Let's hope David Lynch or David Fincher take a stab (no pun intended) re-visit this story as they have both expressed interest in doing, and if anyone is interested in learning about the ACTUAL case, read evered: The True Story of the Black Dahlia Murder by John Gilmore.